[Previously: Davis has revealed to Cedric the extent of his uncle's villainy.]


They parted then, Davis walking towards the horses the highwaymen had ridden, mounting one and riding off in the direction Cedric had seen him watching earlier, while Cedric made his way towards the coach and his waiting friends.

Jacques could barely contain himself at the sight of Davis riding off. "Cedric, what has happened? Where is he going?"

"It's all right, Jacques. He's a Bow Street Runner. He's going to take care of things here. We can go home."

Lavinia had stepped down from the coach at Cedric's approach, and now moved to stand next to him. "Is it truly over, Cedric?"

He put his arms around her. "Yes, my dear, it is over. We'll be leaving soon."

"What do you mean, 'take care of things?' What about, what about your uncle, and Simms?" Jacques wasn't satisfied with so nominal an explanation. "Je n'y comprends rien!"

"I know you don't understand, and I promise I'll explain it all to you later, my friend, but not here."

Cedric then called Hinkling over. "Get the others together, Hinkling. The authorities will be here soon to take these men into custody. We're going home. Leave the horses that the highwaymen stole; they'll be returned to Kentham in a couple of days. And," he hesitated slightly, "I know that this has been a very exciting day for us all, but I would appreciate it if, when you tell the story in The Bull and Pen tonight ..."

Hinkling interrupted him with a slightly raised hand and a knowing wink. "Yes, Master Ce-- me lord, I should say. The lads and me we haf already thought up some good stories to tell." He winked, touched his cap and left to do as he'd been bid, a twinkle in his eye.

Amused, Cedric had to admit that Hinkling's plan was better than his own. Better to have the tales so embellished that no one would ever know the real truth of things than to try and keep it all a secret.

"Jacques, I'll ride back in the carriage with Mademoiselle. Do you wish to ride with us, or--?"

"I think I shall ride my horse, and lead yours. We have tied the bags of stolen objects to your saddle. You two," he added, hiding a smile by brushing dust from the sleeve of his coat, "will have a lot to talk about, n'est-ce pas?"

Cedric laughed and offered his arm to Lavinia. "Perhaps so, mon ami. Perhaps so." He would have helped Lavinia to step into the carriage again, but she stopped him.

"We cannot go yet, Cedric."

He thought he understood her reluctance. "But we can, ma chérie. Mr. Davis is fetching his helpers. There is nothi--"

"Vraiment, I did not mean Davis," she interrupted him, with a hint of impatience. "I mean you made me a promise. Have you forgotten?"

He'd promised her several things over the past few days; which promise could she be referring to? "Lavinia, why don't you remind me once we are in the carriage?"

"Non, monsieur. You have kissed me, slept with my handkerchief under your pillow, ridden ventre à terre to my rescue, and fought a duel in my presence. In my village, there could be but one outcome to such ... rencontres."

His mouth hung open as he stared at her in stunned amazement. She couldn't mean what he thought she meant! "Ici? Maintenant?"

"Oui! Pourquoi pas?"

He looked around them--a more unlikely place for a proposal he couldn't imagine! "Mais, mon coeur, wouldn't you like some place more ... romantic?"

Men!

She moved closer to him, grasped his hands and brought them close to her heart. "Oh, mon Dieu! Do you not understand, my foolish love? It is not the place that matters, but the person."

Cedric looked around him once more, but all he saw were the grinning faces of his servant and the grooms. There would be no help for him from that quarter. He knew it was the duty of every prisoner to try and escape, but escape held no appeal for him. Surrendering to his fair strategist did hold out the promise of an exciting life.

"You are right, my dearest Lavinia. The person that one chooses to spend one's life with is more important than any other consideration. I have it within my power now to take care of you as you deserve, and to share with you a large house and a beautiful estate, but I know those things would mean little to you, if they were not given with love."

He dropped down onto his right knee and, keeping her hands held firmly within his own, he looked up at her, his heart in his eyes. "Lavinia Marie Celestine Le Mersurer, I love you ... more than my own life and I-I want to love you for the rest of my life." His bounding heart was making him breathless. "Will you ... marry me?"

Lavinia, her eyes misty with tears of joy, tried to speak, but her voice came out only as a whisper. "Oui. Yes." She was afraid that he might not have heard her and so began to nod as well, but she need not have worried. Cedric, imprisoned by her eyes, would have heard a whisper of hers over any other sound in the world.

He got to his feet smoothly, love and happiness for the moment erasing any trace of his earlier fatigue. Letting go of her hands briefly, he drew the family ring off of his own finger and slid it onto hers. "I know this is too large for you, but would you mind wearing it until I can find something more suitable?"

"I would be honoured, Cedric," she assured him, touched that he would share such a treasure with her. "I will take the greatest care of it, I promise you."

"I know you will."

"Wearing this, I can almost feel your grandpère here with us."

"He is here, in spirit. I am sure of it." His hand traced her cheek and cradled it. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

They moved closer, their lips met, and the rest of their surroundings faded away for them.


Jacques had watched their tableau with a sense of deep satisfaction. Lavinia would be good for Cedric. Of that he had no doubt. He couldn't have been happier, or prouder at that moment if Cedric had been his own son.

The grooms, too, had observed the proceedings with keen interest and general goodwill, tinged with just a bit of humour. Jack could not contain his enthusiasm and began to shout, "Three cheers for Master Cedric and the mamzelle!" He'd not completed more than one "Hip, hip," however, before he heard himself being shushed just before he felt his cap being pulled off his head and pressed to his chest.

"Can't ya see that me lord is a-kissing 'is future la'ship?" Hinkling groused at him in a stern undertone. "Show some respect, for Gawd's sake!"


--The End--
Begun 2000; completed 2015


[Author's note: help with French phrases--
"Je n'y comprends rien!" = "I don't understand anything!"
n'est-ce pas? = Is it not so?
Vraiment = Truly
ventre à terre = at great speed
rencontres = encounters
"Ici? Maintenant?" = "Here? Now?"
"Oui! Pourquoi pas?" = "Yes! Why not?"